Member Info for JohnLaw

Not a good start. Also a bit expensive for the target pratosphere

Soon there will only be 2.2m in issue!

Cheaper than Rizzla

· IFRS profit before tax, excluding exceptional item, for the six months ended 30 June 2012 increased by 145% to £9.3m, (2011: £3.8m) · Earnings per share (on IFRS basis) of 6.19p, (2011: 2.79p) · On EEV basis pre-tax profit for the half-year of £20.3m (2011: £0.4m) · Shareholder equity on EEV basis (pre dividend payment) of £296.3m - £2.58p per share (31 December 2011: £294.5m - £2.56p per share) · Net cash generation of £12.4m compares favourably to first half of 2011 (£6.7m) · Capital release of £7m, arising post 30 June, following successful de-authorisation of Save & Prosper companies. · Group solvency ratio remains, post dividend, stable at 198% (30 June 2011: 198%) · Countrywide Assured's solvency ratio remains healthy at 213% (30 June 2011: 254%). Movestic's solvency ratio of 277% (30 June 2011: 189%) also remains above target · 6.1p interim dividend per share declared (2011: 5.95p), an increase of 2.5% · Board remains confident about future dividend flows · Search for value adding acquisition opportunities continues

rough elephant = rogue elephant

A rough elephant is one that does not follow the rules of the herd and operates independently. NY DFS has behaved in that manner. It is a function of a regulator to lay down clear rules, so that the regulated know what behaviour is expected of them. The US Iranian sanctions were never clear and changed over time and were never owned by DFS. They are now behaving like a Third World outfit where banks are expected to comply with whim and unpublished interpretations. To paraphrase Billy Connolly they say I want This and I want That AND these demands can all be changed without notice. So get it right whatever it is! US banks must all be bewildered in the Banana Republic of New York. Other US regulators despair. This will end in an embarrassing climbdown for the DFS

Like others i sold AV for STAN and can swap back into AV. For less than I sold. Right now Greed is beating Fear over doing so. What to do? ??????

If you sell today you will get the divvy on what you held yesterday

total loss, company liquidated, IP and goodwill bought by newCo owned by management and a few close friends for sweet FA that just covers professional fees on liquidation. Not long to wait......

"The proceeds from the disposal of approximately €80.0 million will be used to settle the original VBG facilities in full. The facilities have a current outstanding balance of €117.3 million.". Does that not mean a gross gain=NAV increase of €37.3 million ? What is wrong with that? http://www.moneyam.com/action/news/showArticle?rnsAgreed=1&id=4421169

But there is still a £5m premium which is hard to justify. I shall wait till that erodes.

NAV 16p. IC says: "That means over £26m of investments are in the price for nothing, including a £15.9m holding in IMImobile, a highly profitable provider of the technology infrastructure for mobile data, voice and video services to mobile telecom operators and media companies. It's worth pointing out that there is every incentive for the management team carrying out the disposals to get the best possible prices because they are entitled to 15 per cent of future distributions made to Spark shareholders once 11p a share has been paid out, falling to 5 per cent once 14p a share has been returned. That's potentially a £3m payout. It is also reassuring that non-executive director Michael Whitaker, who was previously founding chief executive of Spark, is one of the largest shareholders, with a 5.6 per cent stake. So not only are management's and shareholders' interests aligned, but with the portfolio performing well and disposals surpassing expectations, a further distribution to shareholders of 14.25p share, or £58m, over the next 18 months could prove conservative even after factoring in wind-up costs, management incentives and property liabilities. On a bid-offer spread of 9p-9.5p, I rate Spark Ventures' shares a strong medium-term buy."

To know Bad News is on its way. You just need a pulse. I have been selling this down since the AHG nonsense.

However determined buying in 100k chunks - Peter Gyllenhammar? I think this may drift down over a few weeks. ATH is producing more bad news than coal. Will now be a pure gamble. I will wait till 4p I think

0.1p bid but last trade is 0.0525p

0.01p bid???

Our ugly duckling Swan of a gold miner has turned into a media company ( and is suspended). Again I ask, WTF is going on? ATHOL GOLD AND VALUE LIMITED   ("Athol" or the "Company")   Potential Reverse Acquisition Suspension of Shares   The Board of Athol is pleased to announce that it has entered into heads of terms ("Heads") to acquire Oilbarrel.com Limited ("Oilbarrel") from Rivington Street Holdings plc ("RSH") for a total consideration of £750,000.   Oilbarrel is involved in the provision of subscription based internet services through two websites, minesite.com and oilbarrel.com, and the organisation of the Oilbarrel and Minesite investor forums.    Completion of the transaction is subject to the satisfactory due diligence on Oilbarrel by Athol and approval by shareholders in Athol at a general meeting.  As part of the Heads, Athol has agreed to provide a refundable deposit of £575,000 by way of a secured loan ("Loan") to RSH, which will bear interest at a rate of 5% per annum and will be repayable in full if the Transaction does not proceed.    Tom Winnifrith, Chief Operating Officer of Athol, has a 28 per cent. interest in the capital of RSH.  Accordingly the provision of the Loan under the Heads is considered to be a related party transaction under AIM Rules for Companies.  The Directors of Athol consider, having consulted with Libertas Capital Corporate Finance Limited, nominated adviser to Athol, that the terms of the loan are fair and reasonable insofar as Athol shareholders are concerned.   The acquisition of Oilbarrel will be classed as a reverse takeover under AIM Rules for Companies.  Consequently the Transaction will require the publication of an admission document on the Company as enlarged by the acquisition of Oilbarrel.  Trading in Athol shares on AIM will be immediately suspended pending the publication of the admission document.

Looks like a large trade still being worked. Has Peter Gyllenhammar got his wallet out again for a bargain?

In six weeks. AHG sp 0.14p. Keep digging

Market cap now £6 million. Gain on sale of PoS (=net asset increase) of £ 5.85 million (and that is cash replacing fixed assets). So omniscient Mr Market was valuing the continuing business at £0.15 million. Which is exactly one year's rent from our new tenants at Fontana House. How? BTW this deal means dividends are back on the horizon.